Cutting Loose

by Dash, Jayson

  “I thought we had a talk about this earlier,” Sabrina said, trying to keep her cool. She moved his hands from her hair and sat up to face him.

  “Yeah, we did,” said Brett as he sat up as well. “I just don’t see the big deal.”

  She glared at him and said, “I can see this is going to be a problem for you.”

  “What? The fact that I’m not allowed to touch your hair during sex?”

  “Not just during sex but period.”

  Brett was taken aback for a moment. He never ever dated a woman with any issues about having their hair touched during sex, or at any point. However, he did know that some women were very sensitive about their hair for whatever reason. But still, he was not about to step down without a fight.

  He said, “I don’t get it. I mean, are you afraid your hair is going to fall out or something.”

  Sabrina continued to glare at him for a few moments. Then she said, “If you haven’t noticed, a lot of black women like myself who weren’t lucky enough to be born with long hair flowing down our backs have to resort to other means, such as wearing weave, also known as extensions to y’all white folks who also wear fake hair.”

  Brett looked at her hair and said, “In that case, I really don’t see the point in wasting money trying to look a certain way. Me personally, I like a woman with natural hair. I mean, it doesn’t have to be touching all the way down to her ass, but you know, you get the point, right?”

  Sabrina considered his words for a moment or so.

  She said, “You’re not a woman, so you wouldn’t understand the attachment we have to our hair, just like how some guys are attached to having flat abs and big arms.”

  Brett still didn’t understand the need women felt to look a certain way and waste money, in his opinion, on something so materialistic. He wasn’t like most guys who only dated women based on appearances or preference. If he liked what he saw on the outside, he was pretty sure he was going to feel the same way about the inside. And in Sabrina’s case, he definitely liked everything about her.

  He turned to face Sabrina and said, “I guess that makes some sense. But if it makes you happy to wear weave, then I’m happy.”

  Sabrina could sense the sarcasm in his voice and wanted to lash out at him but she decided against it.

  She said, “Whatever on that.”

  A couple of days passed without much excitement and she was in no mood to deal with Carl and his bullshit when she went to his wedding on Saturday, in which Sabrina still wasn’t as prepared as she wanted to be. She didn’t want to be the same woman he broke up with months ago looking the same as she did. She figured it was time to treat herself to something new and get rid of the old heartbroken Sabrina she once knew who mopped around the house for weeks and months wondering what it was that lead Carl to be with another woman. And to this day, she still didn’t have the answer.

  She had the whole day to herself to do whatever she wanted. She could have spent it with Brett but she decided to keep a little distance between them so she could get a chance to miss him and give him space to breathe.

  Sabrina pulled away from her thoughts as she watched TV and played around with her hair. She took a detour to her bedroom and was alarmed at the sight of her frizzy hair. She wanted to wash it but didn’t really feel like doing it because it required more energy than she was willing to put out. As she contemplated her next move she had a flashback of her talk with Brett and what he had said about a natural look. Then she thought about all the money she paid to have her weave put in just a few days ago and how annoying it was that she tried just about every possible hairstyle to do with it and not one appealed to her.

  A moment or so later, she got into her car and drove to her usual spot where she frequently got her hair done at and walked inside. She didn’t know exactly what had led her to the conclusion to come here, but she was sure by the time she left she was going to have a new look.

  “Hey, Rina! How are you?” asked the receptionist standing behind the counter.

  “I’m good. Is Jennie booked today?”

  “Kind of. It’s been crazy all week.” She looked at a book in front of her for a moment before turning to Sabrina. “You don’t have another appointment until the eighteenth, next week.”

  “Yeah, but I was wondering if you could squeeze me in today. I’m having a hair emergency.”

  “What kind?”

  Sabrina took off the hat she was wearing and let her frizzy hair do all the talking for her.

  “Damn, Rina. What happened?”

  “All this damn humidly and I kind of sweated it out.”

  The receptionist chuckled and said, “Girl, I’ve been there, done that. I’ll get Jennie for you.”

  Moments later Jennie swaggered over with her tall, lean frame, to the counter and immediately saw Sabrina’s hair.

  “What the hell happened to your hair, girl?” Jennie asked curiously.

  “A lot,” Sabrina snapped hotly. “Can you squeeze me in today? I have to go to this stupid wedding this weekend and I cannot go looking like this.”

  Jennie chuckled. “Damn.” She looked at her watch and said, “Lucky for you my three-thirty just cancelled at the last minute.”

  “Perfect.”

  Moments later Sabrina was looking through a hair magazine trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her hair as Jennie went to work and began shampooing Sabrina’s hair.

  The usual chatter of woman began to erupt when they got into a heavy debate about why some black men were leaving women for white women as if it was a new trend.

  “It makes me sick to my stomach,” a loud-mouthed woman sitting a few feet away from Sabrina blurted out. “I can’t stand seeing a fine ass black guy with a skinny ass white bitch.”

  A woman sitting beside Sabrina chimed in and said, “It’s becoming a worldwide epidemic. And they try to come up with the sorriest excuses. My ex-boyfriend left me for some anorexic-looking bitch and said he left me for her because she was less needy and more interesting.”

  Sabrina wanted to chime in but decided to keep quiet and see where the conversation would carry.

  The loud-mouthed woman chuckled and said, “See, that’s a cop out response ‘cause they don’t want to admit that they can’t handle a strong black woman not willing to bow down to them. They need a white woman to control and tell them what to do.”

  “That’s not all true,” Jennie cut in. “Not all black men who date white women need somebody to control. Sometimes they get treated badly and feel like a white woman can offer less drama.”

  “So now you saying we black women have drama and drive black men to date white women?” the loud-mouthed one asked curiously.

  “Basically, yes,” Jennie said matter-of-factly. “But I’m not I’m not saying all black women drive men away. Shit, I got a good man with a job, his own place and there isn’t a plethora of baby mama’s chasing him.”

  “Well, aren’t you the lucky one,” a woman sitting next to Sabrina said sarcastically. “Not everybody is lucky to find a good man like that. Better yet, a good man at all. But I’ll be damned if I go running off to some white guy. I’ll die before that happens.”

  “True that,” laughed the loud-mouthed woman. “What do white guys have that black men don’t have?”

  “Good credit, a job and a college degree,” Sabrina said sarcastically just for the hell of it.

  All eyes fell on her and the room went silent.

  Then the one with the loud mouth had to open her big mouth and said, “Girl, you must be smoking something. Not all white men have a lot money. And they don’t even look all that.”

  “I think I speak for all women when I say that it shouldn’t even matter about skin tone when it comes to dating. If a bitch wants to date a white guy, what’s wrong with it? I don’t see anything wrong with stepping out of your comfort zone and following your heart.”

  “I feel you,” said Jennie. “Skin color should not be a factor in dating. I se
e a lot of interracial love every day and it somewhat bothers me to see a fine ass black guy dating a white bitch. Then I see a pretty black girl hooking up with a good-looking white guy and be like, ‘Damn, maybe I need to try that.’ To each his own, you know?”

  “That’s horrifying,” the loud-mouthed woman spoke up. “If any black woman is stupid enough to date a white guy after all the bullshit they did to us black folks back in the day, that’s just asking for a death wish.”

  “That’s way out of line,” Sabrina said hotly, her voice rising. “The past is the past. The way I see it, can’t nobody tell me as a grown ass women who I should date whether he is black, white, blue or green. Period.”

  “True dat,” Jennie cheered. “Tell it like it is.”

  The woman sitting across from Sabrina said, “Oh, please. You sound like you know from experience what it’s like to date a white guy.”

  “As a matter of fact, I am dating a white guy. And?”

  “And what’s your excuse?”

  “Excuse?” repeated Sabrina. “I don’t need an excuse. It’s like I just got through saying, I’m a grown ass woman and I date whoever I want to and can’t anybody tell me different.”

  “Whatever. You just couldn’t handle a black man.”

  Sabrina waited a beat and said, “Not that it is any of your business, but I have dated plenty of black men, and every time I got with them, they were always complaining about this and that, cheating all the time. After two years of dating my ex, who cheated on me the majority of our relationship, he dumped me for his ex. So basically, I haven’t sworn off all black men, it just so happened that the right guy came along and stepped up to the plate and happens to be white.”

  The woman across from Sabrina said, “And you think he won’t be just as quick to cheat on you as a black guy would?”

  “I never said that.”

  After a while the atmosphere in the place changed and they moved on to another subject not involving men.

  Jennie turned the radio on and turned to a station that was playing her favorite singer’s new song. Sabrina and others immediately burst into song as best as they could when the chorus came on.

  “Did you see the video for that song?” Jennie asked Sabrina when the song was over. “She looked so good in it.”

  “Yeah, I did. She looks good with short hair.”

  “Yep. But not everybody can rock a short haircut like that.”

  Sabrina pictured images of the singer’s hairstyle in the back of her mind and wondered how she would look if she did the same. She figured with the right style and color, she could rock the hell out of a short style.

  She said to Jennie, “You know, what? I think I’ll stop wearing weave for a while and go natural.”

  “Oh, really?” Jennie asked, intrigued. “How so?”

  Sabrina paused for a moment, wondering if she was thinking things through before acting on an impulse. She never had her hair cut short—except for that rebellious phase when she was a senior in high school—that didn’t turn out well at all. Since then she’d always had the same bland jet-black hair color. It was definitely time for an upgrade.

  She asked, “I was thinking about something like the one I saw in that video—a medium-length bob with side-swept bangs that frames the face.”

  “Honestly, I think you have that Halle Berry face—she can rock any hairstyle long or short and it’ll look hot.”

  Before she could chicken out, Sabrina smiled and said, “Okay, let’s do it. And I want to dye it honey-blonde too.”

  “Don’t worry, you’re in good hands. I got you covered.” She swiveled the chair around so that it faced the mirror and said, “After this makeover, that man you got won’t want to leave.”

  Sabrina chuckled and said, “You can bet on it.”

  Chapter Fourteen:

  Wedding Mayhem

  It was a quarter to three when Sabrina last looked at the clock before deciding to get dressed for the stupid wedding. A part of her wanted to say fuck it and blow Carl and his wedding straight to hell, but then there was the fact that she had already bought a new dress for the occasion, something she deliberately told herself she was not going to do, but ended up doing it any damn way.

  The dress wasn’t anything special, just a formal scarlet strapless evening gown, a pair of matching heels and a clutch purse. She figured the look was appropriate for a wedding and really didn’t scream for too much attention, just enough though to say, “Sorry motherfucker, you had me, you lost me, now a better man has taken your spot,” sort of thing. And the haircut. That was a totally different statement she was sure to blow Brett’s mind.

  After a few minutes of staring at the ensemble that was spread across her bed, she headed for the shower and freshened up. Once done, she slipped into the dress and stilettos, applied a little bit of makeup, some lip gloss that tasted like cherries and supposedly last eight hours. Her hair didn’t require much, if any maintenance at all and the only thing she had to do was spray some product into it to make it shine and that was about it.

  She was ecstatic in knowing that Brett hadn’t seen her new ‘do since she went to the hair salon and she was pretty sure he was going to be surprised as hell. Maybe even a little disappointed that he couldn’t run his fingers through her long weave anymore.

  After giving her dress the final look over, she called Brett to make sure he hadn’t chickened out on her at the last minute. About twenty minutes later he showed up in the flesh just to show her that he hadn’t and that he too was going to try his best to make Carl jealous as hell that he ever cheated on Sabrina and left her for a second-rate bitch named Jasmine.

  Sabrina couldn’t help but notice his dapper appearance. He was looking too damn good—his auburn hair short length hair had a touch of blond highlights, he was wearing a huge diamond stud in his ear, and his usual clean-shaven appearance was revamped with a trimmed beard. And the dark suit he was wearing only magnified his ensemble.

  “You look very handsome, Brett,” Sabrina managed to say once they stepped outside into the cool afternoon weather.

  “Thanks,” Brett said. He glanced at her for a second. Then he smiled and said, “Oh my goodness. You got a haircut?”

  “Yes, I did. I’m glad you noticed.”

  Brett chuckled and said, “It looks good on you.”

  “Thanks. I see you’ve grew a beard and you’re wearing a diamond stud earring. I’m shocked.”

  “Yeah, I had to switch it up. Do you like it?”

  “Of course. It makes your sexiness look even sexier—I doubt what I just said makes any sense.”

  Brett laughed softly. “It does to me. Anyway, let’s get this stupid wedding out of the way, shall we?”

  A weird sensation crept over Sabrina’s body as she sat in the passenger seat as they drive to the wedding that she was sure to be something other than normal, just because she was showing up an ex’s wedding with a current boyfriend. She went over it over and over inside her head and even after talking to numerous female friends, a part of her felt guilty for even considering going. Several people told her not to go because there was no logical reason for an ex to invite a woman to his wedding after he cheated on her numerous times with the woman he was going to marry. Honestly, Sabrina knew it was a mistake to go to the wedding with Brett.

  Okay, it was big mistake to go to the wedding with Brett. Not just because he was her current boyfriend, but also because Carl was her ex. Plain and simple. Some would say that it was somewhat disrespectful because Sabrina might still have feelings for Carl that she thought were gone and resurfaced once she saw him at the altar.

  All that could have been true. But Sabrina knew for damn sure that she was over Carl and there was no way in hell she was going to change her mind and ever consider thinking about taking him back, if the opportunity ever presented itself. How could she? The man cheated on her too many times than any other woman would have out up with. And the lies? He lied about everything in their two
years together and never had he uttered the words “I love you” or “I care for you strongly” or anything close to it. That only let her know that Carl was not the one for her, but yet she put up with his bullshit because she thought he would come around someday and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

  And to think of how the bitch he was marrying was going to have to put up with his bullshit for the rest of their pathetic lives together made Sabrina laugh on the inside. She knew Jasmine was the type of bitch who thought she had everything and hit the jackpot when she stole Sabrina’s man from her. But she was sadly mistaken Carl to be her Prince Charming, blinded by all the lust they shared together. She was in for a rude awakening.

  “What are you thinking about?” Bret asked Sabrina, pulling her way from her thoughts.

  “Oh, nothing really. Just dumb girl stuff.”

  “Like what?” Brett asked curiously.

  “Stuff like why I decided to bring my boyfriend to my ex-boyfriend’s wedding and the bitch he left me for.”

  “Sounds deep. But uh, since you were wondering, I’m cool with going. I know about your history with your ex and know you’re not thinking about running back to that jerk.”

  “Shit, I’d be a damn fool if I left you for him. What we had is over with and I’ve moved on. And the only way to make that official is to show him…and you.”

  “Show me what?”

  “I have to show you that there are no feelings between me and Carl. I could never date a guy like that ever again.”

  Brett stopped at a red light. He turned and said, “Baby, you don’t have to prove anything to me. I trust you and know that you’re not like the rest of those females out there. And I will never do anything to hurt you in anyway.”

  Sabrina considered his words as tears began to rim her eyes. So many times she heard those words and not once had they been true. She believed those words when Carl told her he wouldn’t hurt her and six weeks later he was cheating on her. Sabrina’s heart dropped at the thought of enduring heartache like that again, especially with such an amazing man like Brett. She just could not go through that again. Ever.